Obituary of Colonel Harold Norman Taylor

A funeral service to celebrate the life of Harold Norman Taylor will be held at 2:00 P.M., on Monday, December 30, 2013 at Whaley Street United Methodist Church, 517 Whaley Street, Columbia, SC 29201. Interment will be private and held at a later date. A visitation will be held on Sunday, December 29, 2013 from 4:00 to 6:00 P.M., at Thompson Funeral Home at Greenlawn Memorial Park, 845 Leesburg Road, Columbia, SC 29209. He passed away at his home on December 27th, 2013 at the age of 87. Born in Columbia, SC on May 6, 1926, he was a son of the late Walter "Shine" Taylor and Margaret Hoover Taylor. Colonel Taylor graduated from the U. S. Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas and the Palmetto Military Academy Officer Candidate School. He was inducted into the Palmetto Military Academy Hall of Fame. He completed US Army Infantry School and the US Army Quartermaster Officer Schools. After his active duty discharge in 1946, he returned to Olympia High School and graduated in 1947. During World War II, He served in Europe with the 104th Infantry Division. He later joined the South Carolina Army National Guard in 1948 as a Private First Class and retired in 1983 at the rank of full Colonel. Upon retirement he was promoted to Brigadier General. He served in many positions as a National Guard technician culminating with a position of Deputy United States Property and Fiscal Officer for South Carolina. In his career he was awarded many decorations to include Legion of Merit, Army Commendation Medal, American Theatre Campaign Medal, European-African-Middle East Campaign Medal with one Bronze Star, Army of Occupation (Germany) Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal, Active State Service Medal, Army Service Medal and National Guard Retirement Medal. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Charles Alton and Robert Stevens Taylor; sisters, Doris T. Huffstetler, June T. Rutland, Sara Ann Taylor and Christie T. French. Colonel Taylor is survived by his loving wife of 65 years, Bertha Player Taylor; daughter, Trudi Taylor Greene (Lee) of Lexington; sons, Glenn Gerald Taylor (Susette) of Sanford, NC, Wayne Douglas Taylor (Wendy) of Columbia; daughter, Terri Taylor Johnson (Chris) of Gilbert; sister, Louie Taylor Lucas of Raleigh, NC; brother Walter Allen Taylor (Janet) of Columbia, as well as many nieces and nephews. He is also survived by his eight much adored grandchildren, Courtney Greene Turner (Justin), Samuel Philip Johnson (Bridget), Lauren Taylor Johnson, and Grayson Elizabeth Taylor, Zachary Ryan Whitley, Meaghan Denise Waltmann, Steven Devereaux Greene (Kristin), Leman Edward Greene III and his three great granddaughters, Alyssa Morgan Johnson and twins, Lillian Dorothy and Olivia Taylor Turner. Harold, also known as "Tatabug", was a loving husband, father and grandfather. We enjoyed his humor, singing and colorful personality. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Whaley Street United Church, 517 Whaley Street, Columbia, SC 29201